Mehbooba in Indias Most Powerful persons’ list, ahead of Mamata, Vasundhara
26 February, Srinagar
Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti has been listed among the 100 most powerful persons in India.
According to the list of The Most Powerful Indians in 2016 Ms Mufti figures at number 14 ahead of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Rajasthan Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandra Babu Naidu, BSP chief Mayawati and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka Gandhi.
According to a media report, Ms Mufti has played a pivotal role in shaping PDP which emerged as the single largest party in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014 elections.
After the death of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, she didnt rush to take oath as the first woman chief minister of J&K despite pulls and pressures from various quarters. She is playing hardball and trying to bargain with the top BJP leadership and the Centre for a deal which benefits her state in the long run, it stated.
The report goes on to add that despite forming an alliance with BJP, Ms Mufti openly advocates talks with separatists and Pakistan.Prime Minister Narendra Modi figures at number 1 of the list while Congress President Sonia Gandhi figures at No: 5. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal figures at number 8 while Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi figures at serial number 9. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad figures at serial number 28.
The other eminent personalities in the list include President Pranab Mukherjee, RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, Tata Group chairman Cyrus P Mistry, Mahindra & Mahindra chairman Anand Mahindra, AIMIM chief Assad-ud-Din Owaisi, Bharti Enterprises chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal, HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh and actor, Aamir Khan.